I've done it intentionally and unintentionally and that's what I consider real hunger. After 48 hours I can sit and eat like 4-5 pounds of food easily(though I normally wouldn't but I have a few times).

If you have more than adequate storage fat on your body, then any feelings of hunger is all in your head, no matter how long you've gone without food.

A good friend of mine who is thin told me its when your stomach physically hurts. Then you know you need to eat.

I never got that feeling. Never. Even when I fasted for 4 days, I only felt like I wanted to eat because I like yummy food, not because I needed it. It makes sense. I'm probably around 10% body fat so I have a good several lbs to spare, which would easily last a few weeks.

Body fat is food.

So I never have to eat again until I lose 50 kg more?
Great, cheaper food bill then.

Originally Posted by Gladmorning

*sigh* see, I always think about this, but then people go on about "starvation mode." So which is it? Starvation mode doesn't exist if you have body fat? Especially excess body fat?

Who knows, there are so many mixed opinions on this.
I am leaning more towards starvation mode being BS. I am losing again and have not changed much.
But I don't believe I never need to eat again either.

I learned a long time ago that my "hungry" often really means "thirsty." First, I ask myself if I am bored. I am a boredom eater. If I am not bored (or even if I am) I drink a big glass of water. Still think I'm hungry? I ask what I want to eat. If the answer is one specific (often unhealthy) item - it is a craving, not hunger. If the answer is "ANYTHING OMG FEED ME NOW" I am probably hungry and will eat until I am full.

I've done it intentionally and unintentionally and that's what I consider real hunger. After 48 hours I can sit and eat like 4-5 pounds of food easily(though I normally wouldn't but I have a few times).

Well, I suppose I should restate what I meant.

I felt really satisfied off one nut. But then after I ate some real food, maybe about a pound of chicken breast and some veggies, I went off the deep end on the rest of the nuts...the other 2 pounds ^^;

*sigh* see, I always think about this, but then people go on about "starvation mode." So which is it? Starvation mode doesn't exist if you have body fat? Especially excess body fat?

It's just that people take it way out of context.

The metabolism slows down after a few days (i think 3) without food, or from cutting calories severely for an extended period of time. Big deal!!! You still burn fat during that time. And you don't burn as much muscle as they make it seem, that which can be replaced anyways.

I'm talking 50 grams of muscle lost per day while on zero food. It's negligible.

And there are things you can do to help restore the metabolism anyways while dieting hard. Train intensely such as weightlifting. And have a high calorie/carb day once in a while.

You see, eating all the time as they say, isn't necessary or even helpful. Even if there was any benefit, it would be canceled out by the fact that you're still eating too much.

So I never have to eat again until I lose 50 kg more?
Great, cheaper food bill then.

We need a hand of applause for this one!!! I congratulate you. You're finally starting to get it!!!

In reality, while I am sure you could get away with such a stunt, there are clearly better ways to go about it. (There is a reason why doctors prescribe PSMF's.) For example, keeping some protein in the diet along with including intense exercise will help preserve muscle during the process as well as keeping the metabolism high. Additionally, I am convinced that occasional refeeds would aid in keeping the metabolism from slowing down too low. If not taken out of context, it's clear why such an example case would result in a better body in the long run.

Originally Posted by Ayla2010

Who knows, there are so many mixed opinions on this.
I am leaning more towards starvation mode being BS.

Essentially if there is any truth to starvation mode at all, people typically twist it around and make it into something that it isn't.

Originally Posted by Ayla2010

I am losing again and have not changed much.

Congrats!!! You must be doing something right.

Originally Posted by Ayla2010

But I don't believe I never need to eat again either.

No need to be afraid of food like that. And I'm talking both about eating and not eating. Some days you can eat A LOT if you want, sometimes even binge. You can't be afraid of it. Same thing with fasting for up to a few days or going extreme once in a while if it's going to help you out. Don't be afraid of it.

Once you stop being afraid of food, you then gain the ability to have complete control over your weight. You don't gain weight from eating too much, just eating too much all the time for no reason. Starving yourself isn't necessary either. But you can still get away with fasting from time to time without any trouble, and you can sometimes benefit from going extreme for several weeks.

Thanks for the link, Ripped. Makes a LOT of sense and definitely puts my mind at ease. It's definitely something that I've always been concerned with. Mostly when I'm actively trying to lose weight and the I hit the WALL. Any idea why that happens?

Thanks for the link, Ripped. Makes a LOT of sense and definitely puts my mind at ease. It's definitely something that I've always been concerned with. Mostly when I'm actively trying to lose weight and the I hit the WALL. Any idea why that happens?

Providing what you were doing was actually working, I'd say the stall is due to an eventual reduction in the metabolism. A fatter person requires more calories, so you will require less calories after weight loss. Also, the metabolism decreases over time when you've been cutting calories for an extended period of time. An occasional refeed can help combat this and so can intense exercise such as weight training.

Also realize that calories always count. What I have found is that when ever I had questions about how to lose the fat, a reduction in calories has never failed me.

Stop eating for 2-3 days and you can acquaint yourself with the feeling. You will probably begin to feel it on day 1, but to be sure you will feel it by day two and three. After that you tend to enter long term fast mode and hunger subsides so there is no point in going more than 72 hours as a form of getting to know how hunger feels.